开小差

開小差

kāixiǎochāi

verb #26,659

Meanings

1 to be absent-minded
2 to desert (from military)
3 to go AWOL
4 to let one's mind wander

Characters

to open; to start

errand; task; dispatch

Examples

上课时不要开小差。

Shàngkè shí bú yào kāi xiǎochāi.

Don't let your mind wander during class.

他在开会时开了小差，没听到重要内容。

Tā zài kāihuì shí kāi le xiǎochāi, méi tīng dào zhòngyào nèiróng.

He zoned out during the meeting and missed the important content.

战时士兵开小差会受到严厉惩罚。

Zhànshí shìbīng kāi xiǎochāi huì shòudào yánlì chéngfá.

Soldiers who desert during wartime face severe punishment.

Tips

register

开小差 can mean either 'to be mentally absent/distracted' (casual, everyday) or 'to desert from the military' (serious, historical). Context determines which sense is intended.

memory

Think of 小差 (minor task/errand) — you're mentally sneaking off on a little side errand instead of paying attention.

Stroke Order

开 kāi

小 xiǎo

差 chà